Ian Mitchell – Swansea

May 2017

Jailed sex offender hid pictures of children in his cell

A jailed sex offender was found with indecent images and pictures of children taking part in school nativity plays when officers searched his prison cell.

Ian Mitchell from Swansea had created his own images by obtaining a pornographic magazine and adapting it.

He cut out the heads and upper bodies from pictures of children and stuck them on the adult material.

The court heard how Mitchell hid the pictures under a bag in a cupboard within his cell in Channings Wood Prison, Devon, where staff also found a disturbing collection of newspaper cuttings.

The newspaper articles featured pictures of young girls in swimming costumes or in nativity plays and other cuttings featured information about notorious child murder victims.

Mitchell, aged 55, of Baywood Avenue, Swansea, admitted making indecent photographs of children and was jailed for 12 months with a three year extended licence by Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.

He said: ”Your sexual interest in children is a cause for real concern.

“You satisfy the criterion of dangerousness because of the risk you pose. I need to protect the public.”

Miss Caroline Bolt, defending, said Mitchell was serving a 40 month sentence for image offences and was approaching his release date at Channings Wood prison when his cell was searched on January 28.

She said he had recommended websites to other sexual offenders who were about to be released and officers suspected he also had child images in his cell.

She said: ”Personal correspondence was found in which almost every letter had an image of a child on it.

“There were a number which showed the top half of a child superimposed on the lower half of a woman.

“There were 18 of these pseudo images and they were found with newspaper articles with pictures of young girls in swimming costumes or of nativity plays.

“There were items about child murder victims and a pornographic magazine.

“He told officers he was not happy about the search and asked how they had found the images.”

Mitchell was serving a 40 month sentence passed at Swansea Crown Court in July 2015 for distributing child abuse images and has several previous convictions for making or possessing images.

April 2017

An already FIVE time convicted paedophile has admitted having child abuse images in his prison cell at a Devon prison.

Ian Mitchell was found with the pictures in a bag when his cell at Channings Wood Jail near Newton Abbot was searched in January.

The search was carried out just days before he was due to be released from a 40 month sentence for distributing similar material.

It uncovered 18 images which showed naked children and were described as pseudo photographs. They were all at the lowest category, which shows posing rather than sexual activity.

He was re arrested as he was being let out of the prison and appeared at Exeter Crown Court by video link from the city’s prison.

Mitchell, aged 55, who had been due to move to a post release hostel in Swansea, admitted making indecent photographs of children.

Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, adjourned his case for a probation report and remanded him in custody.

William Hunter, prosecuting, said Mitchell was serving a sentence of 40 months imposed in 2015 for distributing images when the items were found in his cell on January 28.

In 1999 Mitchell was jailed for 18 months after admitting gross indecency with a child.

He then appeared in the magistrates court twice for breaching the terms of a sexual offences prevention order.

In 2005 he was jailed for nine months for 16 counts of making indecent images and breaching a conditional discharge.

In October 2011 he was again jail — this time for 12 months — for making and possessing indecent images.

And in 2012, he was jailed again for making indecent images of children

August 2012

Dangerous’ child image sex offender from Swansea jailed

A MAN been jailed after his third conviction for making indecent images of children and his third breach of a sexual offences prevention order.

Ian Mitchell, 50, has two previous convictions for making or possessing indecent images and another for gross indecency with a child.

Police raided his home at Baywood Avenue, West Cross, Swansea, on May 5, and found he was in possession of a mobile phone, something he was not allowed to own because of his previous convictions.

Pictures of children as young as two were found on the phone, one was even set as the background wallpaper image on the phone.

Before jailing him for three years, Recorder Greg Bull said he posed a “serious danger to young people”.

Last month, Mitchell admitted six counts of making indecent images, 10 counts of possessing indecent images and another of breaching a sexual offences prevention order by owning a device capable of accessing the internet.

There were 49 images on his phone — eight were classed as level four, the second most serious category, one was classed as level two, and 39 images and the single video were all classed as level one.

The court was told that in 1999 Mitchell had been jailed for 18 months after admitting gross indecency with a child.

He then appeared in the magistrates court twice for breaching the terms of a sexual offences prevention order.

In 2005 he was jailed for nine months for 16 counts of making indecent images and breaching a conditional discharge.

In October 2011 he was again jail — this time for 12 months — for making and possessing indecent images. He is also subject to a sexual offences prevention order which runs until 2021.

Sentencing Mitchell to three years, Recorder Bull said: “You are a man not prepared to learn the lessons of the past.

“You’re not prepared to co-operate and engage with the Probation Service to any meaningful degree, and you’re a serious danger to young people at this time in your life.”